Swerve Strickland On Impact Of Him Becoming AEW World Champion: 'It Would Be Change'

This coming Sunday, Swerve Strickland will take part in a three-way match at AEW Revolution that could see him walk away as the first Black man to hold the AEW World Championship. Speaking to The Athletic ahead of the pay-per-view bout, Strickland reflected on what it would mean for him to win the title.

"It would be change," Strickland said. "It would be culture. It's impact and it's history. ... For AEW to get [its] first African American champion only five years into its existence would be big."

Strickland pointed out that other major wrestling companies took many years to crown a Black world champion. He added that he came over from WWE in 2022 and started fresh without any of the baggage that some people take with them when they depart.

"Getting to this point in just two years shows what Tony Khan sees in me," Strickland continued. "I want to be part of AEW's history and take it to different heights."

When the promotion returns to Wembley Stadium this summer for the second AEW All In PPV, Strickland wants to be the one holding the title. The AEW star shared that it would mean a great deal to him to be an African American world champion headlining that show.

"Speaking about the possibility of pulling that off, it gives me goosebumps," Strickland stated. "It's hard not to be excited about this kind of thing."

Before that can happen, however, Strickland will have to overcome heated rival "Hangman" Adam Page as well as the ever-dominant AEW World Champion, Samoa Joe. If Strickland captures the title on Sunday night, he'll still have to keep it for nearly six months to achieve that goal. It may be a tall task, but there's no denying Strickland has a great deal of momentum heading into Revolution.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Athletic" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.